Beat the Blerch: Goals

Silly:  I signed up for another marathon.  A trail marathon in fact.  Beat the Blerch on Saturday September 20 to be extremely specific.

Sillier:  I've chosen to follow a training program aimed at not just 'finishing' but that is "a renegade path to your fastest marathon."  It includes such things as high mileage weeks, running six days a week, long ass tempo runs and sprint workouts.

Silliest:  The marathon is being hosted by The Oatmeal.  There will be couches, birthday cake, Nutella and magical grape beverage at the aid stations.  Sometimes the only way to redeem a silly idea is to commit to an over-the-top version of the idea.

I've been a fan of The Oatmeal for a very long time.  Since before I was a runner and before I knew The Oatmeal was a runner.  We even sent The Oatmeal Holiday Cards one year.  About a year ago he wrote an amazing comic, The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons I Run Long Distances.  It is long and wonderful and spawned a whole series of funny little running comics.  It also spawned a book and I think this marathon is a sort of insane book release party.

I'm currently in week eight of an 18 week training plan.  A lot of the runs have some specific speed parameter so I do have a target race goal that the training is oriented around.  However, that number is more a side effect of my real goals.

James Clear is a new-to-me-blog.  In his own words he writes with a "unique blend of science, grit, and creativity that is required to improve your health (and everything else that matters to you."  My impression is that he nicely combines creativity, art, entrepreneurship, health, balance, positivity and has a nice fact-based, pragmatic approach to being your best.

In particular, he has an e-book about habits.  There wasn't anything in the content that was ground-breaking but he had a very interesting approach to habits and goals which he frames as "Identity Based Habits."  I won't try to restate it all here (go read it!) just that I really liked the way he dissected identity vs. performance vs. appearance goals.

For example, I could have a marathon goal centered around appearance results like losing weight or getting stronger.  I also could have a marathon goal focused on performance, such as the typical target time.  Instead I'm aiming identity based goals.

• I am the kind of person who works hard to do her best.  
• I am the kind of person who does hard runs most mornings before work.  
• I am the kind of person who has fun running.

I do have a tough training program.  Sometimes it is grueling and I'm sore and stiff more often than not these days.  When I'm at the track striving to make six 800's at a crazy (for me) pace and a total workout of six or seven miles before work I couldn't care less about losing a few pounds.  I just want to run slower so it is easier to breathe and doesn't hurt so much.  The performance goal I'm aiming for at the end of this 18 week adventure also lacks legs.  There will be no impact on my life if I make my target goal, miss it wildly or blow it out of the water.  At the end of hitting a performance goal there is a moment of satisfaction generally followed by an extension of the goal post.  At what point will I be thin enough?  Fast enough?  Good enough?

But knowing I'm the kind of person who kicked ass at the track before work this morning makes me feel good about myself.   Unlike the performance goal, the achievement of an identity-goal doesn't fade, diminish or morph into dissatisfaction.  Rather it plants a seed that feeds my sense of strength, health and happiness.

Now for the real training plan!  The DOs and DO NOTs for marathon training.